The researchers determined the roughly 130 glowing areas contain a material that appears to be a magnesium sulfate variety known as hexahydrite.

Sublimated water ice is the proposed source of the salty component.

The scientists speculate the substance was brought to the surface by meteor strikes.

Notably, the majority of the spots are located within impact craters.

Said Andreas Nathues, one of the researchers, "The global nature of Ceres' bright spots suggests that this world has a subsurface layer that contains briny water-ice."

The team says that to figure out why some of the glimmering areas are more intense than others they will need more detailed readings.

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NASA may have solved mystery surrounding bright spots on dwarf planet

This image, made using images taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, shows Occator crater on Ceres, home to a collection of intriguing bright spots. (Photo via NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA)

NASA's Dawn spacecraft spotted this tall, conical mountain on Ceres from a distance of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers). The mountain, located in the southern hemisphere, stands 4 miles (6 kilometers) high. Its perimeter is sharply defined, with almost no accumulated debris at the base of the brightly streaked slope.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

The intriguing brightest spots on Ceres lie in a crater named Occator, which is about 60 miles (90 kilometers) across and 2 miles (4 kilometers) deep.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA/LPI

NASA's Dawn spacecraft took this image that shows a mountain ridge, near lower left, that lies in the center of Urvara crater on Ceres.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

NASA's Dawn Spacecraft took this image of Gaue crater, the large crater on the bottom, on Ceres. Gaue is a Germanic goddess to whom offerings are made in harvesting rye.